


Build with me?

by wisia



Category: The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Far Future, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-05 09:55:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4175496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark built most of the world everyone lives in today. Only things went wrong, and they need him again. Except when Steve Rogers finally finds the man, Tony doesn’t build anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Build with me?

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, some kind of weird ass sci-fi thingy. I was thinking about [](http://flange5.tumblr.com/post/121954900452/letter-to-and-response-by-the-iron-man-creative) this post . Particularly these lines:
> 
> “Give the poor guy back a few dreams, even if they do go sour. Technology can’t solve the world’s problems, true, and that’s part of what’s hurting him—the old assumption that science can solve everything. But science can provide alternatives and alleviate human suffering, and Stark should be sticking to his guns and working.”

The building was stark. Probably not the best word to use, but it described the place perfectly and named the owner as well. The building, or rather tower as it were, was tall. A gleaming glass contraption of marvel and wonder. It was a true skyscraper, reaching a height that Steve could barely see even if he craned his head back. In fact, the tower was best seen from a distance, where the many stories it was made of was put to the best display.

The tower was beautiful in its plainness, in its sheer simplicity that worshiped the meld of metal, glass, and technology. Inside, the hallways were long and wide with no decorations, not even a painting or a photo. Just sleek chrome walls that stretched for miles and the occasional flash of electric blue against them. Steve always thought it would be green, but somehow the blue fit the tower. His steps echoed loudly in the halls. It was unavoidable, but it seemed too much for such a place filled with a certain quiet almost religious air.

Steve blinked when he reached the end of the hall. Before him was a wide chasm, a hole that led down to unfathomable darkness. He could see the other side, and he wondered how he could reach it. However, just before Steve decided to jump it, there was a low hum. Steve watched in amazement as a platform rose from the darkness. Cautiously, he stepped onto it.

“Please state your designation,” a voice said.

“What?” Steve turned, but he saw nothing.

“Please state your designation,” the voice said again. Steve looked at the path on the opposite side. The platform would help him to it, but he realized there was probably no stairs even if he continued. This would be the only way up.

“Up,” Steve said. “Please.”

There was a pause. Then, electric blue shimmered in the air. It encased the platform and Steve into a box before it finally started ascending upward. Slowly, Steve watched as the platform took him up past many levels. It seemed to go on endlessly, but he supposed it made sense. The tower was tall, of a height that one could only see fully from a distance. Steve felt his palm sweat as the platform took him up, up, and up. He didn’t think he would make it this far. At least, not without a fight. However, there were no obstacles that barred his way, and the platform came to a stop at the very top where the moon shone down in the open space.

The faint glow of blue faded, and Steve didn’t hesitate stepping off. The sight here was sublime. White moonlight streamed down, pillars against the tower’s rooftop. There were stars, a hundred thousand and more twinkling.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Steve didn’t need to look to see that he found his man, the person he was looking for.

“Yes,” Steve said. He turned, and Tony Stark smiled at him. The man looked exactly as he did in the file Steve received of him. Blue eyes that matched the electric blue pulse of the tower. Hair and goatee immaculate, and he was handsome. Severely so, enough that Steve had to swallow at the sight. There was a crystal tumbler in his hand, filled with a rich dark red liquid. The scent of the alcohol was strong, and Tony proffered it to him.

“Would you like one?”

“No, thank you.” Steve didn’t drink, and even if he did the liquor had no effect on him.

“Shame,” Tony said. He drank the tumbler himself, tipping his head back to drain it, throat working in long slow pulls. It was strangely sensual, and Steve couldn’t help but stare. When Tony finished, he looked at Steve with a smirk on his lips, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. “So, what brings you to my humble abode?”

“What makes you think I want anything?”

Tony laughed. His fingers flicked in the air, and Steve was blown away as a multitude of screens appeared all around them. Then, he flushed because these were images and videos of what he and his crew had been doing the past months.

“You—“

“I keep tabs on anyone who might want to find him,” Tony said without apology. He tapped at a screen, one that had Natasha on it. “She’s pretty clever, isn’t she? Her work would have crippled a good part of my tower.”

“I didn’t use it,” Steve said. It was their plan. To get into the tower with force if necessary.

“Only because I opened the gates for you.”

Steve stared. “Why?”

“Call it curiosity,” Tony said, snapping his fingers. The screens went away as silent as they had appeared. Almost exactly like magic. “Besides, I’m curious to know the man my father believed in. Captain Steve Rogers, a man for humanity.”

“I’m just a person from Brooklyn.”

“You really aren’t,” Tony disagreed. “Now, come on. What do you want? I didn’t let you come all the way here without getting some answers.”

Of course. Steve straightened up, hands behind his back in parade rest. It was the most comfortable position he had ever known in his life, and it served him well. Made it easier for him to breathe, to look Tony in the eye. To ask:

“I want you to build for us.”

The smile on Tony’s face slid off. His face seemed to close off immediately.

“Build?” he said. “I don’t build.”

Steve gestured to the tower, to the building they stood. “You build this.”

“I don’t make weapons.”

“I know. That’s not what I want you to build.”

Tony frowned and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t build.”

“Why not? You can make so many wonderful things. Don’t you see what’s happening out there? Outside this tower of yours?”

The world had grown static. It was miserable, and there wasn’t much for hope. Steve could only do so much, but technology had always been out of his bound. He needed the one man who could push technology to the furthest reachest, the one man who could drive the future and had driven it.

“I do,” Tony said. He sighed wearily. “I do, but I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“Because I can’t!” Tony snapped. He turned on his heels, stalking away into the shadows and onto another platform. “You can rest here tonight and go home. J will show you the way.”

“Wait—“, but Tony was already gone, the platform descending as quickly as it could. Steve stared at the empty place where Tony had stood. He was so close. He wanted to punch something, but he settled for huffing instead.

“No dice, Cap?” Clint Barton’s voice echoed into his ear.

“No,” Steve said.

“You have time to convince him,” Natasha reassured, joining in. “I’m surprised he didn’t shoot down our comms.”

“That is because Sir finds it amusing.” It was the same voice that helped him up the platform earlier. Clint cursed in surprise.

“My apologies,” the voice said. “I am Jarvis at your service. Now, if you please, Captain.”

The floor beneath him lit up in glowing blue circles.

“Huh,” Steve said. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“In the morning,” Natasha reminded him.

“Like always,” Steve said and turned off his comm. He followed the directed path. “This way?”

“Yes.”

It lead to a platform tucked around a corner. Steve rode the square down several levels. Once down, he followed the glowing circles to a set of heavy doors without a handle or a key. Steve faintly heard a click, and the doors split open, blue sparking in the seams as they parted. It was a bedroom. One that was used because the sheets on the bed were crumpled and wrinkled, and there were scattered bits of metals strewed across the carpet. Steve looked up at the ceiling, startled. Jarvis didn’t say a word, but the doors closed behind him.

There was a whistle, and Tony stumbled out of what Steve presumed was the bathroom. His hair was just the slightest bit damp, and there was only a towel slung low around his waist. He stared at Steve’s presence.

“What—what are you doing here?” Tony pointed his finger at Steve. “Are you trying to seduce me? Because that’s not going to work. I’ll tell you that right now even if I want to ride you.”

Steve’s cheeks turned scarlet. “What? No. I, uh, your—Jarvis led me here.”

“Right,” Tony snorted.

“He really did,” Steve insisted. He couldn't look away from Tony at all, at how the water beaded at his chest and slipped down against a hipbone before disappearing under the towel.

“Jarvis?” Tony asked.

“He is correct, and you didn’t specify which room I should put him in.”

“You—“ Tony looked entirely flabbergasted, at how his AI snarked back him. Steve laughed.

“You don’t get to laugh at me,” Tony said. Steve laughed harder. “Jarvis!”

“I think you will benefit from speaking to the Captain.”

“I talked to him.”

“You didn’t really,” Steve managed to say after another laugh. He didn’t realize the great Tony Stark could bicker with his own inventions. “Honestly, tell me why you can’t build anything.”

Tony’s shoulders slumped, defeated. He ran a hand through his hair. “This—can this wait till morning?”

“It can,” Steve said, “but…I’m already here. I rather sleep knowing why.”

The man mumbled, something incomprehensible to normal ears, but Steve could hear him cursing at Jarvis and about not being sober enough for this.

“Look, I can’t tell you why. I just can’t build anything.”

“But you built before?”

“Well, I _can’t_ now.”

Steve could see Tony tensed up. He tilted his head, wondering…

“Are you afraid?”

Tony scoffed. “Who’s afraid? I just can’t build anything. You know, lack of ideas and all.”

That wasn’t true because Steve could see the evidence at building in his room. Those metal bits on the carpet were proof enough.

“I think you’re afraid.”

“Well, I’m not.”

And Steve suddenly knew with certain that Tony was afraid. He didn’t know why, but Tony was afraid to build. He would help Tony see that it was all right to build, and then the world would be fine.

**Author's Note:**

> :T I don't have time to flesh this out as much I wanted to. I can see myself writing a 10K fic for this...where I get to explore Tony's fascination with possibilities and creating things.


End file.
